Insurance issues with stolen truck

Hey guys, trying to help a fellow Air Force friend out here. He had his truck stolen 2 weeks ago and insurance just recovered it. They are trying to give him the truck back saying it only has minor damage from a side swipe. The truck was stolen from his driveway in Tampa, FL then driven to Washington D.C. and recovered there. Does anyone know if he can fight the insurance company and just have it a loss. He dosent, and I dont blame him, want to take back a molested and damaged truck. Thanks in advance! Zach

 

I don't know the specifics but I could've sworn that anytime a vehicle is stolen it has an automatic salvage title. This could be a California thing idk?

But I would fight it tooth and nail that is why you have insurance. Besides that physical damage you never know what else they did.

 

Only if it's stripped for parts or severely damage then it would get a salvaged title. What happen to OP friend is trip to body shop and return to owner as original condition prior to the theft.

 

Except what about the now 1k more miles

 

Buddy in TX had same issue. He had to push it up the insurance corporate ladder and fight for it, but he did a final full value check from insurance.

 

Hear what you are saying, and I would feel the same way as your buddy.

But 1K is negligible at the end of the day. Think your friend has an uphill battle on his hands.

 

Oh I see.
I would still say I don't feel safe in the car and the integrity has been compromised.
Who knows maybe they drove that 1k miles in first gear on the freeway.
But like everyone said it will probably be an uphill battle.

 

Edited because I had a senior moment!

 

I feel his pain. But unless there's enough physical damage to total it (just like a wreck), insurance is going to fix it.

It was about a 2 month ordeal to get my truck back to how it was before the theft. When I traded it in, you'd never have known it was damaged.

 

Make insurance fix the damage and sell it. No big deal. Buy a 2016 lol

 

This is what I'm thinking.

Ask for a check for diminished value and use that toward an extended warranty if he can.

Have insurance pay for the dealer to do a full inspection on his truck.

 

Whoa this got real serious, real fast. It's not fraud unless OP's friend actually commits.

 

Insurance fraud just makes everyone's rates go up.

Not to mention

It's pretty easy to tell what a new scratch is vs an old one. And if insurance gets the hint that they may be taken advantage of they will pull strings and/or ask to be reimbursed for unneeded repairs.

 

Was a posted TW rule broken in this situation?

 

Yes.

 

Which one?

 

Dunno.

 

Looks like someone did a little bit of post cleaning.

To OPs friend, that sucks but at least it was recovered. What a drive.

 

Not sure if truth .. or sarcasm..